Underground storage devices are known.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,934,550 issued to Cash discloses a storage device for a rake that includes a chamber buried under it the ground with an upwardly opening exposed. The chamber with an opening upwardly exposes the rake stored therein to rainwater and debris, which may defile the rake and make the rake unpleasant to use. The debris may also clog the lower part of the chamber and prevent the rake handle to be inserted therein.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,584,739 issued to Erichson et al. discloses a rake for use in a golf course sand trap. The rake has a head portion on the same plane as the handle which extends at an angle therefrom. When not in use, the rake is horizontally stored in a container buried in the ground adjacent a sand trap. The container is provided with a hinged cover having an artificial turf surface flush with the ground. Downward pressure on the cover unlatches the cover and an internal spring opens the cover and raises the rake handle from the container. A container that stores a rake horizontally occupies a large ground area. The latch and internal spring design is complicated and cost inefficient. Further the internal spring is subject to rust and failure, thereby adversely affecting the durability of the container.
Accordingly it would be advantageous to have a simple and inexpensive underground storage device for storing an implement such as a rake used on a golf course sand trap. It is desirable for the storage device to be reliable, durable, and user friendly. It is also desirable for the storage device to effectively protect the implement from the environment. It would be of further advantage for the storage device to be space efficient, e.g., occupying a small ground area.